Door pillar number used as VIN on title. What to do?

[pbraun]

Well, after much looking, I finally found a Bugeye I wanted to buy, negotiated, and now go to pay and transfer the title, when I discover the North Carolina title actually has the VIN listed as the number on the left side door pillar. It is the correct numerical sequence as on the car, but not the real VIN, car number.

I could buy it fine, but would selling be a problem? What do I do? Is this a messed up title and to avoid, or what?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Is there a VIN plate on the car, DS, down below the carbs. If there is and BMH documentation you can likely get the VIN corrected. Or leave it alone and likely no one will ever know the difference.

 

[pbraun]

The BMH Certificate is on the way. Yes, there is a car number, VIN plate on the car in the correct location. I would really hate it if I bought the car and then the feds or someone decided to crush it.

 

[HealeyRick]

If I had a BMIHT certificate that shows the number on the left hand driver's side door pillar matches the number of the chassis plate, I can't see that it would harm resale value. I'd probably just leave sleeping dogs lie as far as the title goes. It might be easy enough to correct, but on the other hand you never know what you'll get yourself into with dealing with a DMV.

 

[smaceng]

I think there is some confusion regarding the plate located on the "LEFT" door jamb. This is NOT the body number or the chassis number and can not be researched through a Heritage Certificate. See the following post: https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?99577-Help-with-vin-decoding/page2
Scott in CA

 

[Gerard]

X2, both Rick and Scott. It's not a deal breaker, especially of the other "correct" numbers are present. Most people don't even know what is correct, and as long as you have a legal title, should not be an issue.

 

[HealeyRick]

I think there is some confusion regarding the plate located on the "LEFT" door jamb. This is NOT the body number or the chassis number and can not be researched through a Heritage Certificate. See the following post: https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?99577-Help-with-vin-decoding/page2
Scott in CA

Thanks for the correction, Scott.

 

[CLEAH]

Since there is an actual VIN plate present, I would think that this is a matter of getting the paperwork corrected at the DMV. Your title actually matches a plate that is on the car, so you can prove that the car and the title go together. Explain that the number on the title was taken from the wrong plate, backed up by the Heritage certificate.

 

[Guest]

If I had a BMIHT certificate that shows the number on the left hand driver's side door pillar matches the number of the chassis plate, I can't see that it would harm resale value. I'd probably just leave sleeping dogs lie as far as the title goes. It might be easy enough to correct, but on the other hand you never know what you'll get yourself into with dealing with a DMV.

Exactly, it has a title that matches A number on the car; leave it be at that. If a fella goes about asking for trouble, don't be surprised when it shows up...

 

[anarchy99]

I bought my car same thing, no vin plate but has been registered many years on the body tag. Transferred to a new title in a new state and never had a problem. Only had an issue when I had to get insurance, they didn't recognize the number as a real number... Took a few calls but it's good to go now. Doesn't really bother me that much, I won't ever sell the car anyways.

 

[glemon]

Exactly, it has a title that matches A number on the car; leave it be at that. If a fella goes about asking for trouble, don't be surprised when it shows up...

I agree, my Healey 100 was registered by body number, and it had the actual car number on it as well (although hard to read) Theoretically it should be easy to get it corrected at the DMV, but what if you get anal retentive guy (or gal) and they say you did not buy a properly titled car and you need to get a bonded title or ? who knows what. There really wasn't much in the way of rules in what a VIN number was in those days to my knowledge, and that is why it got screwed up sometimes, but it matches an number plate on the car, so should not cause any problems now or in the future.

 

[smaceng]

Generally speaking, at least here in CA, the DMV people are not car people, but are experts in the paperwork involved. If you come loaded with information, which accurately describes what you trying to register, I have found they are accommodating. Just because the car may use the body # rather than the chassis (VIN #), at least CA DMV probably would not know the difference. But try to go into CA DMV without the right forms or paperwork.....watch out.
Last time at DMV I had to register my out-of-state TR6, each window I went to, the clerk asked for me to fill out another form. When I got to the last clerk, she looked at all the forms and said, "why did you fill out all those forms?" But I played the game and all is good now! The CA vehicle code is over 700 pages long...do you think that the average clerk would know the rules on all 700 pages? Scott in CA